The mother of a teenager whose killer was caught by DNA says people have more to fear from internet sites Facebook and Bebo than genetic databases.

Gill Smith spoke out after it was announced that the profiles of up to 850,000 innocent people held among 4.5 million on an official database are to be destroyed as a result of a European Court ruling.

Following the verdict that people's privacy rights could be breached, the Government will delete details of those cleared of crimes – or never charged – after six years, and in cases of serious violent or sexual offences, after 12 years.

Mrs Smith believes people have more to worry about the personal details readily available on social networking websites.

Under the current rules, anyone arrested for an offence has his or her genetic fingerprint stored for life, which police say helped them solve more than 17,000 crimes last year.

Mrs Smith, the mother of Louise Smith, who was killed as she walked home from a Christmas Eve party in Yate 13 years ago, says everyone's DNA should be recorded at birth.

The body of 18-year-old Louise was found more than a month after her disappearance, hidden in Barnhill Quarry in Chipping Sodbury.

Her killer, David Frost, was caught because of the DNA he left behind at the scene.

Gill Smith and her husband Robert received MBE awards in 2003 for their campaign for a DNA database.

Mrs Smith, of Chipping Sodbury, believes those who have nothing to hide shouldn't be concerned about having their profiles recorded – and says people should be more concerned about the personal information on the internet.

Referring to social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo, she said: "If people are law abiding, it shouldn't worry them at all. I would be more concerned about what was on the internet than having my DNA profile held on file because there is so much information out there."

But Mrs Smith said she is not disappointed by the Government's plans to delete some of the profiles.

"What we campaigned for was taking DNA profiles with the permission of the individuals concerned," said Mrs Smith. "We believe that if a policeman knocked on your door and asked for DNA, most people would say 'yes, keep it'.

"It wouldn't worry me if my DNA was taken. If all the records were taken at birth, no one could complain they were being singled out.

"In Europe they are digging up the soldiers from the First World War and using DNA so relatives can find out where their loved ones are – it's not just for criminals. DNA profiling has other uses as well."

In reference to the ruling from the European Court of Human Rights, she added: "The quicker we get out of the EU the better. I disagree with the court decision and all this human rights nonsense – it goes too far sometimes."

Ministers have came under fire from civil liberties groups over the plans.

Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, said the new proposals were disproportionate and could lead to abuses of the system.

She said: "These proposals are not quite two fingers to the European Court of Human Rights, but they come pretty close.

"They don't distinguish between people who are under suspicion, people who are wholly innocent and those who are guilty."

When police make an arrest, a mouth swab or blood sample is taken and used to extract a unique genetic identity.

The string of numbers is then stored on a database which detectives can search using hairs, skin or other genetic material found at crime scenes.

Created in 1995, the UK DNA database is now the largest in the world, holding more than five million profiles of people in this country.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "The DNA database plays a vital role... and will help ensure that a great many criminals are behind bars where they belong.

"These new proposals will ensure that the right people are on it, as well as considering where people should come off."